Anakpawis provincial assembly launched in Batangas

More than 300 delegates from different districts in Batangas attended the Anakpawis Partylist Provincial Assembly yesterday, March 3, 2007, held in Saint Bridget College Auditorium, Batangas City. 

The assembly adopted the theme “Sulong Anakpawis!  Makibaka, Manindigan, Magtagumpay!” from the recent Anakpawis National Convention.  Delegates discussed the current issues, campaigns, and tasks to be carried out by Anakpawis-Batangas chapters in lieu of the upcoming elections. 

Some of the mass organisations and institutions which attended the assembly were Samahan ng Magsasakang Kababaihan (SAMAKA), Samahan ng mga Vendors sa Batangas Port, Alyansa ng Mangingisda sa Nasugbu (ALMANA), Samahan ng Magsasaka sa Nasugbu (SAMANA), Batangas City Corn Growers Association, and People’s Coalition for Alternative Development (PCAD). 

Anakpawis fourth nominee Fernando Hicap, regional chairperson Romeo Legaspi and secretary-general Luz Baculo were also present in the assembly.   

Peasants placed in the order of battle 

Gigi Bautista, who spoke of the provincial situation, reported recent cases of military harassments encountered by Anakpawis leaders and members in the province. 

“Aside from destroying our (Anakpawis) limited campaign posters and paraphernalia, the military placed 210 peasants in the order of battle, accusing them members of NPA (New People’s Army) when in fact these peasants are members of Anakpawis,” said Bautista in Filipino. 

The accused peasants are residents of Barangay Koral ni Lopez, Taklang Anak, and Quisumbing in Calaca, Batangas. 

Another delegate said that at around 10AM (during the assembly) he received a text message saying that military men barged in to the house of a peasant in Lian, Batangas.  The military reportedly threatened the peasant, “Isang linggo ka na lang” (You only have a week [to live]). 

“After having lost face in the initial reports by Philip Alston of the UN Rapporteur, the present government and its military continues to intensify and systematically sow terror to the people with the old gambit of red-baiting.  In these situations, there is a strong need for Anakpawis to look into the welfare of these peasants,” said Bautista. 

PAMANTIK secretary-general and Anakpawis-Southern Tagalog secretary-general Luz Baculo encouraged the delegation to “double, triple, and exert more effort in consolidation and expansion of Anakpawis at all levels in the face of intensifying political repression”.   

“We have cast our votes for Anakpawis in the 2004 elections and we have won.  The US-Arroyo regime will employ all means to destroy our partylist.  All the more should we establish and strengthen Anakpawis chapters in all areas,” said Baculo. 

No illusion in election 

Anakpawis fourth nominee Fernando Hicap enumerated some of the performance achievements by Anakpawis in Congress and projects serviced to the people. 

“These achievements of our partylist are what the present government wants to take away from us.  Should we allow this?” 

Hicap warned, “Hindi tayo nangangarap na mababago natin ang isang sistemang bulok sa pamamagitan ng paglahok sa reaksyunaryong eleksyon” (We have no illusion that we can change a rotten system by participating in the reactionary election). 

“Although election is for us to exercise our right to vote those who will represent our welfare and demands, the US-Arroyo regime negates that right by resorting to political repression and killings.  Our main task and challenge at hand, therefore, in winning Anakpawis and the other progressive partylists in the election is to expose the rotteness of the reactionary election itself,” said Hicap.#